Faux
by Cerveza
Summary: SasuSaku. Sakura doesn't care if he's not breathing, as long as he's with her. One-shot.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto-sensei does. But if I did, I wouldn't let him wear **_**any**_** upper clothes at **_**any**_** time. I promise you.**

**A/N: I actually have intended to post this since ages ago, but schoolwork has been keeping me really hectic for the past few weeks. Finally, here you are. My second fic. **

**Trying to be (a bit) angst. Got the idea one morning in the middle of a traffic-jammed highway, on my way to school. My country's traffic is THE WORST. You should try it sometimes…**

**Anyway, hope it works. –bite nails-**

**And as always, happy reading.**

**UPDATE: Fixed some gender-swapping (I do that a lot! It pisses me off like hell!) and some mistakes I came across while re-reading it.**

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"Good morning, Sasuke-kun," Sakura smiled as she opened her eyes. Sasuke was lying beside her. She gave him a peck on the cheek before rolling off the bed to open the curtain and let the sunshine come into the room. She gazed out of the window, inhaling the morning air scent which never failed to build up her mood every day.

_This is such a lovely day, _she thought. _A new beginning._

She didn't want to wake Sasuke up just yet, so she kept her steps quiet as she headed downstairs to make breakfast.

-

"Hmm, let's see… What are we going to cook today?"

Onigiri? Nah. She did that yesterday. It's got to be something that Sasuke really likes… otherwise, he usually refused to eat it.

Flicking through her recipe book, she looked for something that mainly involved tomatoes and fish—Sasuke would definitely like that.

She beamed widely as she found a perfect meal. She started preparing the ingredients and cutting them, while waiting for Sasuke to wake up and join her at the table.

-

It was almost noon. She had only finished cleaning the living room when somebody knocked on the front door.

Wiping her hands on her apron, she walked to the door and opened it.

"Hi, Naruto! Come in," she beamed at the sight of her old teammate who's still dressed on his ANBU attire, looking weary and sun burnt.

"Hi Sakura-chan," Naruto sighed as she put away his fox mask. "Could I have a glass of water, please?"

"Sure," Sakura said, walking to the kitchen. "Do you want it cold?"

"Yes. Throw in some ice cubes, if you don't mind. I'm freaking thirsty."

Sakura came back with a pitcher and huge glass of cold water. Naruto instantly grabbed it and drained it all immediately.

"Wow, talk about thirsty," said an amazed Sakura.

"I've only just been back from Suna, after a week there," he said, putting down the glass. "Gaara asked me to help him with some stuffs… But who would've thought it would involve exploring the driest, hottest, most godforsaken land ever existed? That place is practically the source of all dehydration! Honestly, I figured even the Kyuubi had shriveled up and die behind his seal cage. More please?"

Sakura chuckled as she filled Naruto's glass with more water from the pitcher. "Is this the reason why you drop by? To ask for water?"

"Actually, that's partly the reason," Naruto replied. "I think there's something wrong with my apartment's plumbing. I didn't get a single drop when I got there. I'm gonna fix it later, indeed, but I just have to wet my throat first. So I thought, what could have been better than your place? Besides, it's been quite a while since I last saw you, and I kinda missed talking to you."

"Yes, me too, actually," Sakura said. "By the way, Naruto, how's it going on with Hinata-chan?"

Naruto nearly choked halfway through gulping down his water.

"I- uh, how do you know?"

"Oh, please, Naruto. Everybody in the village knows about you two."

"Really?" he said, taken aback. "Er… Um, d'you… Do you think his father knows too?"

"Well, being an ignorant git as Hyuuga-sama usually is, I don't think he does."

"Oh, thank God," Naruto mumbled in relief. "Me and Hinata have been keeping our relationship secret not without a reason, you know. I mean, if his father ever found out the clan heiress is dating the Jinchuuriki brat that he hates so much…"

"I know, Naruto," Sakura patted her friend's hand gently. "But don't worry, I'm sure he'll change his mind after seeing how fine of a shinobi you had become. Not to mention the next in line for the Hokage position!"

"Yeah… Thanks, Sakura-chan. I hope you're right. Hinata's the most amazing girl in the world. I'm in love with her, Sakura-chan. Crazily so. She's… the best thing that ever happened to me. I'd rather die than to lose her."

Sakura's heart promptly melted at his statement. This was the first time Sakura had ever seen Naruto's blue eyes brimming with sincerity, desperation, and immeasurable love, all in one time. She could truly comprehend the feeling; it's exactly the same as her feelings for Sasuke.

She gave him a consoling smile and grasped both of his hands on hers.

"Then you won't lose her. Trust me,"

Naruto smiled back, though weakly, and mouthed another 'thanks'.

Sakura glanced at the clock. "Hmm… how about you stay for lunch? I'll make you some tonkotsu ramen if you want,"

Naruto broke into a huge enthusiastic grin. "Sure!"

A few hours later Naruto was happily slurping the big portion of ramen Sakura had made for him. Sakura sat watching him from across the table, amused.

"This is the second best ramen I've ever tasted in my whole life!" Naruto commented after emptying his third bowl.

Sakura raised an eyebrow testily. "Second best?"

Naruto looked sheepish. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, but no one has ever been able to compete with Ichiraku just yet… You come really close, though!"

Sakura giggled. Same old Naruto; he still didn't understand a woman's mind. Well, at least he's better than Sasuke… Never in her life did he praise her cooking. Not once.

The thought of it made her slightly sad.

"Fuh… I ate too much," Naruto set down his chopsticks, patting his stomach. "Thank you so much for lunch, Sakura-chan,"

"You're welcome, Naruto," she smiled as she took the dishes to the kitchen sink.

"Ano, Sakura-chan? Can I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"You almost didn't touch your meal and keep looking at the clock. Is something bothering you? Is it me?"

"No, of course not, silly," Sakura said. "It's just…"

"What? Come on, tell me."

She sighed. "It's Sasuke-kun. I'm worried about him… He barely has eaten anything since he was here, no matter how much I've been trying to make him. I've cooked everything that I could ever think of, but he just seems to lose his appetite. Perhaps it's because of all the battles he had been through. I mean, that's totally understandable. You may be losing your will to eat as well after fighting or killing so many enemies like he has, right?"

There was a ringing silence in the room after she finished her sentences, as the quiet Naruto eyed her with the look of utmost sympathy combined with sorrow. Sakura returned his gaze, confused.

"What's the matter?"

Naruto took a deep breath. His chest was starting to ache.

"Sakura-chan," he eventually said with a cautious tone. "Sasuke is... You do realize that… You _know _he's gone, right?"

"What do you mean?" Sakura half-snapped, refused to meet his eyes. "Yes, he _was _gone, but he came back, didn't he?"

Naruto shut his eyes for a moment. This is just too painful, even for him.

"Listen to me, Sakura-chan. He did come back, but only to attack and destroy this village. We fought him, Sakura-chan. We defeated him, remember? We had no choice than to do it. You held him in your arms as he was fading away… And you just lost it; completely hysterical when he finally—"

"What are you talking about, Naruto?" Sakura cut him, her voice came in high pitch that didn't sound like her at all. "He's fine! He's perfectly fine. He's just… mad, that's all. Mad because he doesn't really want to be here. He never intended to stay at Konoha in the first place, but we- we _forced _him to. That's why he's angry at us. Angry at _me._"

It was pointless. It was futile; yet he kept trying, no matter how lame it was.

"You refuse to accept the truth, because you couldn't bear it," his voice was no more than a whisper. "Sasuke is gone, Sakura-chan. He's long gone…"

Sakura looked away.

"You're crazy. He's still here. He's upstairs."

Her false cheery tone sent an even sharper jab to his chest.

"Sakura-chan—"

She stood up.

"It's already late," Sakura said firmly, still avoiding his eyes. "And it looks like it's going to rain. You should be going home."

"But—"

"Goodbye, Naruto,"

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Sakura had ushered him—rather crudely—to the door, her expression frozen.

"Send my best for Hinata-chan," she said, before closing the door behind him.

Naruto put his mask back on. There was a heavy, burning lump on his throat that he couldn't quite explain as he left Sakura's front porch.

-

"Naruto visited today," Sakura said as she stripped off her clothes and climbed to her bed. "You know what, Sasuke-kun? He's going out with Hinata now. Remember the shy, dark-haired girl from back then? The one from the Hyuuga clan?"

Sasuke didn't say anything.

"Anyway, they hide the relationship from Hinata's father, because Naruto's afraid he'd separate him from her for being, you know, the Kyuubi vessel and all…"

She pulled the blanket to cover herself and Sasuke before continued talking. "But I told him not to worry, because love will always find a way. And nothing, absolutely _nothing _could ever take apart the two people in love. Don't you think so too, Sasuke-kun?"

The only sound heard was the pouring rain outside.

"Yes, I know you'll agree with me. That's why I love you…"

A thunder outside rattled the window. Sakura didn't bother; she snuggled deeper into her blanket and let out a yawn.

"Well, I'm gonna call it a day," she said, repositioning her pillow. "I'm kinda tired after all the housework and making Naruto's lunch… It felt like cooking for a whole family, mind you."

She circled her arms around Sasuke to give his lips a swift kiss.

"Good night, Sasuke-kun," she mumbled sleepily to her right.

The body was still cold, frigid, and unbreathing beside her.

**-**

**end.**

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**Err… I guess it's kinda lame, **_**ne**_**?**

**Thank you for reading. Reviews are greatly treasured…**


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